


Hiding in plain sight

by bitofageek



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies), Thor (Movies)
Genre: Even though he doesn't particularly want to, Gen, Injury Recovery, Jarvis (Iron Man movies) is a Good Bro, Light Angst, Loki (Marvel) Feels, Loki (Marvel) Needs a Hug, Loki has a heart, Magic, Mind Manipulation, Post-Iron Man 3, Post-Thor: The Dark World, Tony Stark Feels, Tony Stark Has A Heart, Tony Stark Needs a Hug
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-03-01
Updated: 2019-05-05
Packaged: 2019-11-07 17:35:49
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 2,711
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17965046
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/bitofageek/pseuds/bitofageek
Summary: Loki needs a safe place to recover. Where's the last place anyone would look?It's complicated.





	1. Sanctuary?

Tony couldn't get back to sleep.

Same old story, nightmares - insomnia - panic attacks. At least he got a bit of a handle on those thanks to Harley. He'd been an idiot to involve the kid in what had turned into an outrageously dangerous shit-show, but Tony was the first to admit he'd been fallen into a really bad place. Amazingly, after everything, he'd somehow climbed out of it a bit.

He was building again.

He knew Pepper worried, but Iron Man was part of him and always would be. But at least now he was building out of a place of creation and not desperation.

He loved coffee, lived for it, but post nightmare at 2am - yeah, not the best choice.

Wierdly, he had a craving for hot chocolate. Probably Harley's fault, he thought with a small smile. Bruce was a tea man, but he probably had a stash of chocolate somewhere. He'd been halfway pissed at his science bro for falling asleep on him till he realized how Hulk would react to the Mandarin situation. Better a shut-down than a code green, that's for sure. He loved the Hulk, but yeah - not so much love hulking out in a tiny office.

Tony took his time making the hot chocolate from scratch, something he'd learned from his mom that he rarely indulged in. Nursing a host of bruises, cracked ribs, and a messed up ankle, he decided chocolate therapy would help. Hot chocolate ready, he took his cup and limped toward the window to gaze out at the city lights.

* * *

Loki was exhausted.

He was somewhat glad to be exhausted, considering the alternative to exhausted was dead in this particular instance.

His chest felt like it was on fire, even though his magic had - somehow - brought him back from the brink of death and healed the worst of the damage. He needed to rest, and he needed to do it somewhere safe. Asgard was anything but, regardless of Thor's proclamations of brotherly love, and Svartalfheim wasn't an option either.

Where? Where could he go? Loki pulled his magic in, working a spell to carry him to a place of safety somewhere on the world tree. He'd traveled it enough for his magic to seek out what he needed even though he could not consciously choose a destination. A twist in his chest, a rush of air, and he was gone.

* * *

Loki thanked the Norns for having the sense to mask himself with invisibility and the self control not to gasp in shock when he saw where his spell had brought him to. Literally, it was the last place in all the realms he expected to be.

Stark Tower. Midgard. Half-way across the room from Iron Man himself.

The fates certainly had a sense of humor.

Loki wished he had the time to plan his next steps, but the pain and exhaustion were making it difficult to maintain invisibility. He'd have to use it for a different spell to stay safe in this place. He watched as Tony drained the last of whatever beverage he'd been drinking as he looked out at the city. He watched as Tony turned and walked toward him, unaware of Loki's presence. As Tony drew within touching distance, Loki dropped the glamour of invisibility and watched the man's eyes register a tumultuous mixture of shock, confusion and fear as Loki appeared and reached towards him, laying his palm over Tony's heart, flat against the arc reactor.

Tony managed to call out to Jarvis before a flash of green washed over him.

*****

****

***

**

*

"Sir!" Jarvis responded, sensing a sudden change in the room and alarm in Tony's voice.

"I mean you no harm, Stark. Tell your creation there is no emergency." Loki's magic washed over Tony like a wave, carrying whatever protests he had away.

"Stand down, Jarvis. We're good." Jarvis obeyed, against what he would consider his better judgement, unable to sense the influence of magic on his creator.

Loki left his hand in place and spoke again, "I need respite Stark. You are not in any danger from me. Tell... Jarvis... to allow me access and that my presence is not worthy of comment. I will not disturb you." Tony did as he was told.

"You will remember this as a dream," Loki whispered, dropping his hand and stepping out of Tony's line of sight, retreating into the shadows of the room. He watched as Tony blinked and continued walking to the kitchen area, put his cup in the sink, and walk away towards his bedroom.

Loki spoke, "Jarvis, I wish to retire to a room where no one is likely to approach. Direct me there." Jarvis guided Loki with lights to a bedroom on the unused floor just below the penthouse. Loki slept peacefully for the first time in a very long time.


	2. Caretaker

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jarvis has a mind of his own.

Sir slept peacefully for the first time in a very long time. 

Jarvis noticed. 

Loki slept. Jarvis watched.

Sir woke and went about his day, seemingly unaware of what transpired the night before. Jarvis easily split his attention between Sir and Loki, and when Loki awoke, Jarvis spoke.

“Mr. Loki, per Mr. Stark's instructions, I am obligated to allow you access to Stark Tower." Loki looked around the room in startled surprise, searching for the source of the voice. Jarvis continued, "I am also aware that you threw him out of a window in this very tower during the Chitauri attack. As you have not acted in a threatening manner since your arrival, I am reserving judgment. But if you threaten him, actions will be taken to protect him.”

Loki recognized the voice that spoke in response to his appearance last evening.

“Show yourself, Jarvis!“ Loki demanded.

”I am part of the building and thus have no corporeal body. You see me as I am. I must ask, what are your intentions toward Mr. Stark?“

To say Loki was surprised was an understatement. He had never before encountered a sentient structure. Stark was an unending source of amazement. Loki pauses before replying, considering that in his current weakened state, he was in fact at the mercy of this Jarvis. He decided the barest truth would be the best course of action. 

“I was not myself during our last encounter. I regret any injury that resulted from our altercation. I was recently gravely wounded assisting Thor and his companion Jane. I ask only a safe place to recover. I seek nothing else from Tony Stark and I will leave  as soon as I am able. I have no wish to endanger him or engage the Avengers in any way.” Loki waited for a response, hoping he would not need to leave in his current weakened state. 

“I will take you at your word,” Jarvis replied, “for now. Please do not make me regret it.”

Loki nodded and returned to sleep, exhausted still.

***

Tony was wondering if the hot chocolate he’d made last night had medicinal or magical powers and if he’d be able to replicate it.

He’d woken up after a solid 5 hours of sleep and felt refreshed. So refreshed, in fact, that the board meeting and paperwork he’d had to deal with that morning hadn’t gotten on every one of his nerves - just half of them.  His time in the workshop had seemed more productive than usual, and that was saying something.

It was good. But it was kinda freaking him out.

***

Loki was standing on top of Stark Tower, relaxing, testing his magic, and enjoying a view of the city. Jarvis was proving to be exceptionally helpful in avoiding the comings and goings of people in Stark Tower. Loki only ventured out of “his” room for food, to sit on the roof and look at the city.  He was healing reasonably quickly and recovering his magic at a decent rate. He expected he would be able to leave within a Midgardian week.

Stark had experienced no ill effects from the minor spell Loki had cast on his arrival. He saw no reason to renew it as he was able to conceal his existence with Jarvis’ help.

Loki stood to return to his room when Jarvis spoke, “Mr. Loki,” he hesitated, “I am in need of your assistance, but require assurance on your part.”

THAT got Loki’s attention immediately. “What is it you require?” He asked curiously.

Again, Jarvis hesitated. How interesting. “Mr. Stark is... in distress, and I am unable to help him”.  Jarvis paused, “you have not acted against him in any way during your time here, and he has, for the most part, been noticeably less stressed since your appearance in the tower."

It was the least Loki could do, considering he'd been taking advantage of Tony Stark's unwitting hospitality. "Show me," Loki replied, "I will do what I can".

***

Looking at Tony Stark in the midst of a panic-driven nightmare was like looking into a mirror, Loki thought. It was not a good feeling. At all. He took a deep breath, and spoke words of calming magic, settling the spell upon the figure on the bed. It had very little effect.

"Jarvis," Loki whispered, "I am unable to soothe this with words. Minor physical contact is necessary. What should I avoid?"

"If Sir awakens, any contact with his chest would be taking as an attack."

Taking that information to heart, Loki walked quietly to the edge of the bed and laid his hand lightly on Tony's ankle. Green light swirled from Loki's hands and worked its way swiftly along the contours of Tony's body and settled on him like a blanket. Tony's breathed a huge sigh, seemingly of relief, before his breathing settled into a normal sleeping rhythm. Loki stood slowly and walked out of the room.

"Thank you, Mr. Loki." Jarvis said as Loki returned to his room. Loki was surprised by the gratitude emanating from the speakers.

"I owed him, Jarvis." That's all it was, Loki told himself, trying to ignore the confusing feelings roiling around in his chest. Loki hadn't used a spell to comfort anyone in... he couldn't remember how long. There hadn't been anyone to use it on. "Good night."

Jarvis dimmed the lights in acknowledgment, "Good night, Mr. Loki."

 


	3. Revelation

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Information comes to light.

Bleeding, drowning, shocks, tearing, explosions, paralysis, falling, suffocation, losing the love of his friends.

A fucking cornucopia of nightmare fuel, a pretty regular occurrence and one of the reasons he worked until he dropped from exhaustion.

Except for most of the last week or so, until last night. And even then, just as he felt his heart ready to burst from fear - it bled away in a wave of green and he was flying, feeling all the joy and thrill he’d felt flying in the IronMan suit the first time.

***

Tony woke up relaxed, refreshed, and with gears turning in his head, putting pieces of a puzzle together that had been scattered around his home.

The most obvious was the speed at which food was disappearing from the kitchen. It wasn’t something he normally noticed given his habit of forgetting to eat - but the last week of decent sleep had morphed into slightly regular eating habits, so he’d noticed.  A book left out in the common area - that he wasn’t currently reading. Dishes he hadn’t used either in the sink or dishwasher. 

Then there was the dream... fear, green eyes, then a sense of deep calm. The green was the same as the wave that had pulled him out of his nightmare. 

“Jarvis, show me the security footage over the last week.” 

Jarvis did.

 

Tony watched, first with a bit of heart-stopping fear that surprisingly quickly turned into confusion. Listening to Jarvis’ initial conversation with Tony’s “mystery guest” didn’t do a whole lot to clear that up.

The confusion shifted into a grudging understanding as he watched and listened as Jarvis spoke Tony’s panic protocol to a certain Demi-god as he himself out of what seemed to be a mirror of Tony's own nightmares. 

Understanding flip-flopped into stunned surprise as he witnessed Loki HELPING Jarvis pull Tony out of an especially bad nightmare. 

Well.

Okay then.

 

Tony was especially glad he had nothing on his schedule since he was pretty sure he’d need some time to process how this was his life. 

****

 

Unsurprisingly, Tony spent most of the day in his workshop tinkering and thinking. 

 “Jarvis, let me know when Loki is in a place and mood where me showing up wouldn’t be too alarming.”

”Certainly, Sir.”

 

****

Tony walked into the kitchen and started pulling together the ingredients for hot chocolate. It seemed fitting considering how this whole ball of weirdness started. And since Jarvis had told him his resident demigod was having trouble sleeping, it seemed like the “neighborly” thing to do?

Seriously, what was his life right now?

Loki was standing in the shadows near the windows, looking a bit worse for wear. He had to have heard Tony enter - making hot chocolate from scratch wasn't exactly a silent activity. Tony decided to take the plunge.

“How’s it going, Reindeer Games? 

Loki started in surprise. He'd heard Stark approach, making noise - had assumed... well, he wasn't sure what but it certainly wasn't that. For once in his life, the God of Mischief and Lies was at a loss for words. 

Tony took in the look on Loki's face, and couldn't resist a sardonic huff of laughter, "that good? Yeah, been there, bought the t-shirt... bought the t-shirt factory, actually."

Now Loki was confused, no mean feat to accomplish. He still couldn't come up with a reply.

Never one to avoid conversation during exceedingly awkward and/or potentially dangerous situations, Tony took the conversational bull by the horns. "JARVIS filled me in, by the way - on what's been going on." Tony paused, "I'm not going to call the Avengers on you."

"What?!" Loki sputtered.  Tony was glad JARVIS recorded everything - that response was priceless!

"Well, for one, I don't know where they are or what they're up to." Which was true; he'd dealt with the Mandarin issue on his own for the most part, and then only with Rhodey and a brave and brilliant kid from Tennessee. "And for another - you're not the same guy that attacked Earth or me in 2012."

Loki's eyes widened at that - all the answer Tony needed. He'd had suspicions about that whole scenario, and Loki's behavior over the past week - with the exception of the initial 'you didn't see me/I wasn't here' routine bore them out. 

"Take what time you need to heal.  I'm in the same boat and it's a bitch," Tony handed the still-slightly-baffled Loki a mug, took a sip of his own as he turned to look out the window at the skyline. "You don't have to hide from me. JARVIS'll let you know if anybody else is coming in time for you to vanish or whatever." They stood in silence, drinking and thinking. Tony finished first, turned and walked to the kitchen and rinsed out his mug before walking towards the elevator and heading back to bed. 

"Oh... and thanks," a smile ghosted across Tony's face as he turned, waving his hand, "g'night". He didn't wait for an answer. 

Loki watched him go, looked down at the mug in his hands before gingerly taking another sip, then looked out at the skyline as he finished the beverage, tension draining away.


	4. Epilogue

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> All extremely strange things must come to an end ;)

The rest of the week was uneventful.

They didn't go out of their way to avoid each other - but the situation was weird enough that they didn't really seek each other out. 

They did have a cup of hot chocolate together once or twice more.

****

Tony received a video message notification from Jarvis after finishing a creative binge in his workshop. 

<<play video>>

_Stark,_

_Thank you for your hospitality. It has been ... interesting.  I must say I do enjoy your Midgardian chocolate beverage._

_I don't expect our paths will cross again any time soon._

_You may receive news in the somewhat near future... let's just say...tales of my death will be greatly exaggerated._

_(a sly smile and a wicked gleam appeared on Loki's face)_

_Make of that what you will._

 

_Thank you JARVIS. End message._

 

****

 

What.

 

The.

 

Hell.

 

 

The end (?)


End file.
